The aims of this study are to provide a segmentation of Italian car users for
full electric vehicles (FEVs) based on the perceived attractiveness of the benefits of a full
electric city car offering, and to determine whether identified segments are denoted by
different demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes toward FEVs. The analysis
was conducted on a sample of 8423 Italian car users. Factor analysis was used to identify
latent dimensions of benefits of the examined car offering. The k-means clustering algorithm
was applied to identify latent dimensions for classifying respondents. χ2 and non-parametric
Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn’s multiple comparison tests were used for verifying differences
among segments. Four segments were identified. Each segment exhibited significant
differences in demographic characteristics, product knowledge and attitudes toward FEVs.
Dissimilar knowledge and attitudes toward FEVs among identified profiles, with heterogeneous
perceived benefits, suggest the advisability of implementing differentiated communication
strategies to foster a still embryonic market. The article provides further insight into
the limited managerial literature devoted to FEVs in Italy, and provides a new perspective on
the segmentation of car users, including the investigation of attitudes, whereas the majority
of contributions on this subject address only the investigation of product functional benefits.

The aims of this study are to provide a segmentation of Italian car users for
full electric vehicles (FEVs) based on the perceived attractiveness of the benefits of a full
electric city car offering, and to determine whether identified segments are denoted by
different demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes toward FEVs. The analysis
was conducted on a sample of 8423 Italian car users. Factor analysis was used to identify
latent dimensions of benefits of the examined car offering. The k-means clustering algorithm
was applied to identify latent dimensions for classifying respondents. χ2 and non-parametric
Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn’s multiple comparison tests were used for verifying differences
among segments. Four segments were identified. Each segment exhibited significant
differences in demographic characteristics, product knowledge and attitudes toward FEVs.
Dissimilar knowledge and attitudes toward FEVs among identified profiles, with heterogeneous
perceived benefits, suggest the advisability of implementing differentiated communication
strategies to foster a still embryonic market. The article provides further insight into
the limited managerial literature devoted to FEVs in Italy, and provides a new perspective on
the segmentation of car users, including the investigation of attitudes, whereas the majority
of contributions on this subject address only the investigation of product functional benefits.